St. Landry democrat., 1887-08-20


Trip-Fight on the Boat-The Tyrant OF
the Family-New York Gossip
Even in this hot weather we go to the
theatre for fun. In scene OF a bur
lesaue contemplate to listen to, but be-
witching to look at, a large party OF gods
and goddesses are disclosed asleep on
Mount Olympus high. They are be-
slowed on tleecy clouds, with ragged
wooden edges. Their poses are as art
fully conventional as the previous nights
carousal or godly nectar is supposed to
have left them and their countenances
in mimic slumber are artistically COM
posed A score of chorus girls maintain
their fast asleep attitudes during the
singing of several numbers of principal
characters. The other night the realistic
aspect of one of them puzzled me.
The sweet smile which prevailed
among her companions gave way,
in her instance, to perfect Vaculty
of expression; her eyes were shut tight,
without any evidence of sly peeping;
her Redeemed mouth was dropped open,
with no affection of pout or shipper; and
her limbs had the appearance of genuine
laxity. At first | took all this for con-
scientious acting Then she let her
wand fall, and | doubted if she were
awake Next, she wiggled and Struggled
down, as though the roughness OF the
couch and the thinness of her tights
made her deplOre the insutfclency OF
bedding, and | was sure she was asleep.
Her failure to stir when the rest OF the
goddesses awakened by the raise OF the
lime-like sun was entirely convincing.
"Histl histn' came cautious voice
from the wings.
She turned half over.
punch her-punch her" was the
prompter's command, quite audible in
the forward rows of the parquet
A poke of Jove's sceptre brought her
to sitting posture For moment she
was dazed The audience laughed, and
she was thereby brought to her senses;
but the merriment was to most OF the
observers a result of what they supposed
was the girls acting, and ridicule was
ayerted. A midnight supper, of mortal
reality, had doubtless caused that god
dess' nap.
On the forward deck of an excursion
boat on the return fromAa trip up the
Hudson was group of four women.
One was very old and sat looking at the
passing scenes as if she saw nothing in
them but suggestions of events years
and years old in her memory. Another
was plump, vigorous woman OF about
thirtv-tive, mother of a family and accus
toned to the care of household. Her
younger sister, apparently, was the third
member of the group; she had baby IN
Iar
The fourth was a girl about seventeen
wears old The elder of the sisters had
been singing a song about fireman and
his heroic endeavors to save life from
the flames. 1t was about twenty stanZas
long, and the melody interesting enough
to last through one stanza. Fifty or
more people had gathered about to
listen, and when it was done they ap-
piauded earnestly. At that instant the
attention of all in the crowd was at
tracted to fight that had broken out at
the further end of the boat. The elder
of the sisters started up, took hasty
view of the excited mass of men at the
rear, and saying "Jim's in itn' hurried
away The young girl paled, and rose
and followed her.
is it fight, Nary" piped the old
woman returning for the moment from
her reviewing of the past.
Yes" responded the younger, dan
ding her baby to hush its crying.
The fight was in imminent danger of
Becoming general when l secured good
vantage ground from which to view it..
Foremost among the quarrelers was a
S;alwart young man, red-haired and
N lstached. He was shaking his fist in
an antag onist's face and talking loudly.
Yet he had not been one of the princi-
pals in the original trouble 1t is often
Tie case that the friends of the first
parties involved get into the worst
tnngle, and do and receive the most
damage The elder sister was there
working her way desperately through
the Jam of men. In a moment she had
reached the red haired young man and
seized his arm. | could see that she
was expostulatingSwith him and insisting
that he should come away, but what
she said was lost in the chorus of bowls
on all sides. The young fellow-it after
ward proved that he was her brother
retorted angrily, and breaking loose
from her renewed his compliments to his
equally angry antagonist. Some one in
the crowd, anxious to precipitate fight,
,,tshed another man against the COM
. anus, lluS duuluS 10 tue CONFUSION
AID making it probable that blows would
he given wildly. The sister pushed
away the man who had fallen against her
brother, turned torrent of words from
er tongue upon his direct antagonist,
and once more took hold of his arms.
He was about to cast her off again when
lie heard another womans voice at his
side He quoted in an instant 1t was
'he young girl of the group that had
been on the forward deck. She
laid her hand on his arm also
and her face was full of anxiety
as she addressed him. He scowled and
looked exceedingly glum, but he moved
away, giving defiant glance at his an
tagonist as he disappeared. At least a
dozen other women were in the crowd, all
looking worried, some trying as these
two had to take their friends from the
row; others standing helplessly in the
thick of the disturbance, hoping for
peace, fearing for the worst. Jim" was
led to the group on the forward deck,
where the elder sister, with the energy of
a general, hunted up chair for him and
made him sit down. The younger sister
said nothing, and the old woman peered
curiously at her son in silence. The